


Are You Living, or Are You Just Existing?

by Vampire_Death_Kiss



Category: Kirby (Video Games)
Genre: Adventure, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, The Meta-Knights also appear in this story, as well as Captain Vul and Sailor Dee, there's a bit of backstory, this story involves traveling to different locations, two knights discover what it means to really live life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-24 21:22:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22324606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampire_Death_Kiss/pseuds/Vampire_Death_Kiss
Summary: Meta Knight feels like his life has been nothing but fighting and putting on shows. When a warrior from the past shows up to his doorstep with sorrow, Meta Knight really contemplates over his life. He goes on an adventure with this ancient hero to experience all that the universe has to offer, both knights discovering the answer to a very important question: Are you living, or are you just existing?
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy the first chapter of my new story. The title is based on a quote by Kathy Bates's character from the Tyler Perry movie, The Family That Preys. The story was inspired by a beautiful Japanese artwork where Galacta Knight leads Meta Knight to a really beautiful cherry tree. I thought, it would be neat to write a story about the two knights traveling together, and this is the first chapter of such a story. All characters belong to HAL Labs/Nintendo.

"Are you living, or are you just existing?"-Kathy Bates, The Family That Preys

Meta Knight awoke with a jolt as he could feel the fear of his recent nightmare. He could feel every bit of pain, torture, the extension cords...the machinery. Meta Knight clenched his eyes over the searing pain he felt and the vulnerability of being that woman's puppet. "Susie..." he shuddered as he remembered all that she put him through when her dad and she took over Dreamland and made everyone their slaves, including him. He hated feeling weak, he hated being fearful of the pretty but very devious secretary.

The memories of his childhood poured through his mind of being the tiny timid little Meta that was weaker than others of his species, the one all the other children picked on for being so small, shy, and weak, his bright glowy eyes making him stand out further and resorting him to further bullying. Other species made fun of him for his cute, innocent-looking face that is similar to Kirby's, giving him such anxiety and self-consciousness that he hides behind the mask. Even though he was a well-respected knight now, he knew deep down that the small, shy, weak Meta of his childhood was still a large part of who he was, and he hated to admit it.

He got out of his bed and went to the mess hall of his ship. He brewed a cup of dark roast coffee and poured some into a mug. He drank it straight black, no creamers, through the v-shaped slit in his mask. He desperately needed this after the night he had. "Good morning, Meta Knight, sir!" Javelin Knight and Ax Knight called to their master.

"Good morning, men. Is everything safe and secure around the Halberd?" he responded back, continuing to slurp the coffee.

"Yes, sir. No signs of danger, no sign of Kirby. Everything is good to go." The two knights saluted their master and proceeded back to their duties. Meta Knight sighed in relief and walked into the shipmaster's room and took the plush seat behind his desk as he read the newspaper that someone was kind enough to place for him. Upon reading the little sticky note attached, it was obvious who.

'Dear Meta Knight, I figured you wanted to see this. There is an important article you need to read on page A2. I hope you have a good morning!~Sailor Dee'

Meta Knight smiled as he thought about how loyal and devoted this Waddle Dee was to him. He flipped over to page A2 and scanned over a peculiar article that took over the whole page. 'Signs of destruction found near the forest. Potential danger lurks among the area.' "Hmmm..."

Meta Knight really thought about what this article could mean. There seemed to be a danger that lied somewhere in Dreamland, waiting to cause chaos to the land. "Well, it seems that it is time for some training," Meta Knight spoke softly to himself.

As he went to the training room of his ship, he really started to go deep in thought about what his life consisted of: fighting and putting on shows. He secretly envied Kirby, Dedede, Bandana Dee, and the others for living such carefree lives while he was always the one having to be on alert at all times. Admittedly, Kirby and his friends have rubbed off on the old knight, and he sometimes takes part in their silly antics. Such a major difference from the Meta Knight that wanted to militarize Dreamland so long ago. He just wished that maybe he could be a little more...vulnerable? Carefree? Something like that.

Meta Knight spent much of the day in the training room honing his skills, anticipating just what threat could potentially befall Dreamland. It was nearly nightfall before he finally decided to call it quits for the day. He was practically starving, as all he had was the coffee from that morning. He met his men at the table in the mess hall as Sword Knight was passing each man his dinner. As Meta Knight glanced upon all his knights, plus Captain Vul and Sailor Dee, sitting at the table, Sword placed his meal right in front of him. Creamy Basil Chicken pasta. 'Italian tonight. Sounds appealing.' Meta Knight thought as he carefully dug into the dish with a fork and slowly brought a bite to where his mouth was in the slit in his mask. It was difficult to have to eat in such a fashion, but Meta Knight was insistent on no one seeing what his face looked like. His men were used to him eating this way, and he became skilled at it after doing it for such a long time. "Sword, this is very good," Meta Knight replied as he continued to devour the delicious meal.

Sword beamed with pride at his master's compliment. "Why, thank you so much, sir!"

As the men continued to eat, Meta Knight inquired of his crew, "Have any of you noticed anything unusual happening in the land lately?" All of the crew looked confused.

"No, sir, I haven't observed anything different from normal," Mace Knight spoke. The rest of the men affirmed the comment.

Sailor Dee spoke up in response, "The newspaper claimed that there are signs of destruction in the forest. It claimed that trees were burned, split in half, even some of the creatures of the forest were injured."

"If that is the case, then Mace and I could go check it out," Trident Knight offered.

Meta Knight agreed, "I believe that is best for the circumstances." The two knights saluted him and made their way to the forest. Meta Knight then scanned over the rest of his men, "As for the rest of you men, I need you to keep a lookout on the Halberd for anything unusual and out of place. That includes you too, Captain, Dee. I will also keep an eye on everything." After finishing their meals, the rest of the crew saluted Meta Knight and made their way to their posts, while Meta Knight stayed and got lost in thought for a while.

It was very late, nearly midnight. Most of the crew was asleep, apart from the men that were still scouting the forest. Meta Knight was the only one awake on the Halberd, and he took this to his advantage. He checked to make sure that everything was in order, that the other men were sound asleep, and that there were no signs of danger. When everything was good, he sighed with contentment and creeped into the kitchen to indulge in his late night secret...

He went to the refrigerator and pulled out the ingredients that he hid towards the back: whipped cream, chocolate pudding, chocolate sprinkles, hot fudge, plus he grabbed a banana from the bunch on the countertop. Yes, he was going to make his special late night parfait. He combined all of the ingredients together in their proper proportions in a dessert glass and placed the unused ingredients back in their hiding spots in the fridge. Then, peeking all around him to make sure no one was around, he removed his mask to the top of his head and, face now exposed to the world, took a bite of the scrumptious treat.

He rolled his eyes in the back of his head over the deliciousness of the sweet. He savored every bite, twitching and moaning with such delight over just how good the parfait was. He was so sucked in to enjoying his treat that his cares melted away and for that short period of time, he didn't care what was going on around him, he was in a good mood. Of course, that was most days. As he only had a few bites left and proceeded to take another yummy bite of his parfait, a loud BOOM! was heard near the entrance to the Halberd, Meta Knight nearly choking on the spoon he was eating with.

Meta Knight hastily put his mask over his face and got rid of the evidence of his indulgence. He would be humiliated if his men knew what he did late at night, or worse, caught him in the act. He raced over to the door, expecting to see Trident and Mace back with a report. As he carefully swung open the door, his eyes widened with shock at who lied on the other side of the door...

Tattered, bloodied, lavender feathered wings were heaped atop a magenta-colored body shaped like Meta Knight's. The creature wore heavily dented, damaged platinum white armor and a white mask with a cross-shaped slit in the middle of it and two golden horns atop it. Glowing, narrow red eyes beamed from the slit in the mask. Meta Knight knew exactly who this was. This was that ancient hero turned destructive nuisance, the man he took the Greatest Warrior in the Galaxy title from, Galacta Knight!

Meta Knight reached for his sword Galaxia as he kept his eyes on the powerful warrior, but the other knight glanced at Meta Knight with pleading eyes that changed to a bright pink and spilled a river of tears upon his mask as his whole body trembled. "Please, I don't want to fight you, please," he spoke with a very deep, almost twangy voice (think Braun Strowman from WWE, maybe less drawl). Meta Knight gave him a quizzical look as he continued, "Please, help me. I am tired of being stuck in that crystal. I am tired of being forced against my will to fight. I just want to live, to really live..." He dragged himself over to Meta Knight and grabbed him in an embrace, wrapping his feathery wings around him as he sobbed into his shoulder.

Meta Knight was taken aback by the unusual gesture of the white knight and felt the heat of embarrassment creep upon his face. What if his men caught him like this? Still, he admittedly felt sorry for the angelic warrior who pretty much was cursed to fight, live in a crystal, only to be released to fight again. Meta Knight had to admit, that wasn't much of a life, and this has been going on for a very long time. He thought he had it bad.

He pried the ancient hero off of him as he answered him, "Look, I will allow you to sleep in the guest room tonight. We'll figure something out in the morning. I want to help you, but there's not much we can do tonight." The response brightened Galacta Knight's disposition, and he hugged Meta Knight again.

"Thank you, thank you! Please, how can I repay you?"

"Well, you can start by letting me go," Meta Knight said, blushing heavily at the embrace. The other knight let him go, and Meta Knight guided him to the guest room, Galacta Knight's wings twitching with contentment as he followed the other knight to the room. Meta Knight sighed within himself. 'This is going to be one long mission...'


	2. Chapter 2

The next day dawned as Meta Knight awoke from a very...interesting dream. He dreamed of a young child of his own kind with dark pink skin, whitish colored cheeks, and some of the most beautiful bluish-purple shimmery eyes. The child seemed so alone. The planet he was on was set ablaze as the young boy, who had droopy angel wings, lied beside two adult puffs that seemed lifeless, a male and a female.

"Mommy, Daddy..." the little boy nuzzled his parents, hoping, praying that they would so much as budge, but they never did. The raspberry colored child burst into tears as he wailed between sobs, "Please don't leave me, please!" As the boy lied between his parents, seeming hopeless, a orange colored butterfly appeared out of nowhere and flew gently to the little boy's arm nub. The butterfly seemed to calm the child, as he managed a smile and quieted a bit with the sobbing. The butterfly then flew upwards into the sky and hovered in a spot, seeming to want the puff to follow it.

"You want me to follow you?" the little boy asked, confused. The insect flew towards the boy and then back up into the air. The puff, unused to flying, nervously flapped his feathered wings and followed the butterfly, who took him all the way into outer space. Within a few minutes, a loud explosion erupted, the little boy screamed as his planet was completely demolished, not a single trace left of the puff's home.

The boom is what woke Meta Knight up. The child was so familiar...was that child...Galacta Knight?! And the butterfly...Morpho Knight? Was this dream his enemy's past? So many questions...

Meta Knight then remembered that he had a certain guest from last night. He hopped out of bed and made his way to the guest room. As he peered in, he noticed that there was no one to be found. The bed looked untouched. Did he dream that Galacta Knight was at his doorstep? Did that actually happen? Pondering over the circumstances, Meta Knight made his way to the mess hall.

As he stepped foot into the large space, he noticed that there was not a single soul to be found in the area. 'Strange... Meta Knight thought, It must still be early...' He decided to investigate the kitchen as he heard a searing sound coming from it. He peered towards the oven, and lo and behold, there was his sworn enemy wearing an apron, cooking something on the stove.

"So I wasn't dreaming that you were on my ship after all..." Meta Knight stated. The other warrior jolted a bit in shock as he turned to look at Meta Knight.

"Did you forget that you agreed to help me?" he said as he flipped what appeared to be a pancake up in the air.

"To be honest...I really don't know..." Meta Knight fidgeted nervously as he tried to change the subject. "Are you making pancakes? I didn't know you could cook."

Galacta Knight smiled behind the mask as he replied, "I am, actually. But they are not for me..." He placed the pancake he was cooking upon two others on a plate and placed them near Meta Knight as he took the whipped cream, hot fudge, and chocolate sprinkles that Meta Knight used for his parfait out of the fridge and decorated the pancakes with the ingredients. Meta Knight was absolutely mortified that Galacta Knight of all people found the ingredients of his secret indulgence.

Galacta Knight then explained, "I actually hoped to surprise you with this treat by placing it on your nightstand so that you would wake up to a delicious breakfast, but I didn't realize that you were such an early bird..." he nervously rubbed the back of his head as he continued, "I didn't want anyone knowing that I can cook; I was hoping you would think the Waddle Dee made the pancakes for you."

Meta Knight took a knife and fork and cut a small section of the pancakes and took a bite, letting out a little "Mmmm..." of contentment. "These are actually really good..." Meta Knight replied as he continued to gulp down the pancakes.

Galacta Knight blushed as he nervously replied, "Thanks, it's the least I could do for you after you agreed to help me. Plus," he said in a playful manner, "I figured you like sweets, considering the partially eaten parfait I found buried deep in the trash this morning," to which Meta Knight froze and turned such a crimson red from embarrassment.

Galacta Knight was acting very...strange... Why did he want Meta Knight of all people, his enemy, the one that took his title from him, to help him? Meta Knight just didn't understand. As he took the last bite of pancake, Meta Knight inquired of his enemy, "I have to ask, what exactly did you need my help with? Why me, of all people?"

The white knight was silent for a long moment, wings wrapped around him as he seemed lost in thought, trying to figure out how to word this to the man he couldn't stand. He sighed as he replied, "Look, don't get me wrong; I still don't like you. I realized though, as I finally broke free from that prison, that you were the only one that could help me. Besides, the butterfly told me that you also needed help..."

At that, Meta Knight questioned the temporal warrior with urgency. "The butterfly...Morpho Knight? The one who drained your power? He told you that?!"

Galacta Knight looked offended as he narrowed his eyes and let out a little growl, "For your information, Morpho Knight was just protecting me. I begged to live; he kept me from dying. If it wasn't for him, I would've died when I was little on my home planet," He clenched his eyes as he held back tears. He really didn't need the bat-winged knight knowing about his childhood. "Look, the butterfly told me that your life seemed to lack...that you felt a sense of loneliness...that you really desired more out of your life..."

Meta Knight just stared at Galacta Knight wide-eyed in shock, feeling even more vulnerable than he felt when Kirby broke his mask during battle. How did this butterfly read him so well? How did the butterfly know how he felt? He wrapped his cape around him as his enemy and he sat in a very awkward silence for a long while, each occasionally glancing at the other. Finally, Meta Knight spoke up.

"...Truth be told...I do wish that my life consisted of more than this. All my life I have fought, had to keep an eye on Dreamland's safety, I have constantly had to put on this serious show and act like I have everything together. In truth, I am one of the most insecure people you will meet. I honestly feel so inadequate, weak, vulnerable... Why am I telling you this?!"

His enemy just gave him a look of understanding. "I feel much of your pain. I have spent centuries trapped in that crystal, only to be free to fight in battles I want no part of. I know that I have done things that I shouldn't have, things that I regret so deeply..." Galacta Knight then placed a hand on Meta Knight's shoulder. "Meta Knight, Knight of Dreamland, the current Greatest Warrior in the Galaxy," he said that last part sulkily, "I have a proposal for you..." Meta Knight stared at him curiously, waiting for him to continue, "I would like for you and I to travel together...travel all around the galaxy...the whole universe..." he spread his other arm to suggest the expanse of what he was talking about, "I believe that would be best for both of us. Really get to experience the universe, put away a life of constant fighting and just really live..."

Meta Knight really thought about what his enemy was asking him, offering him. Going to travel with someone as destructive and anger-prone as Galacta Knight? What about the safety of Dreamland? What will his men think? However, a trip, a long trip to just live carefree, to enjoy life without worrying about danger, without worrying about being cool, a chance to really be himself... Galacta Knight seemed legitimate, genuine with the offer. He seemed to really want this... Meta Knight had to admit, he believed that both knights needed a break from fighting all the time...

Meta Knight sucked in a deep breath as he took Galacta Knight's offer, "...I accept your proposal."

Galacta Knight had a hopeful spark appear in his eyes and a notable twitch to his wings. "Really?! You are willing to do this with me?"

Meta Knight nodded, "As long as I get my men on board and make sure that they keep a lookout on things while I'm gone, I don't see why not."

The white knight became more animated as the two warriors shook hands. Even Meta Knight could feel a sense of relief. A journey to see the world, the galaxy, the universe. To really experience life. To not be weighed down by his constant worries, fears, having to appear a certain way. Even though he was taking this trip with his mortal enemy, he felt so at ease from the feeling of freedom...


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some spoilers for Super Kirby Clash at the beginning of the chapter. Be warned. I hope you enjoy Chapter 3!

Galacta Knight washed his bloody wings in the shower attached to the guest room. Why hadn't he done so before cooking? Honestly, being in that crystal so long has wrecked havoc on his memory. He really wished things would've turned out different for him.

After all that he did for the ancients, being the well-renowned Aeon Hero, one of the four who sealed away Void Termina. They were worried about it being destructive, but after dabbling with dark powers, Galacta Knight, along with the other heroes, sealed away the creature. Getting involved with dark powers had consequences; however, because Galacta Knight lost control, and he started to destroy everything in his path, even whole planets! His own planet suffered such a fate, and he himself was destroying others' homes. All he wanted to do was become stronger and stronger, and in the end, he himself became sealed away, only allowed to have freedom to fight battles he was summoned for.

He sighed. He deserved the fate he got. And to think, Meta Knight summoned him for the same reason HE got involved with dark powers. Both of them had to learn things the hard way.

After taking a shower, he dried off and glanced at himself in the mirror. Such intimidating crimson red, sometimes pink, glowy eyes with the mask on, were in reality, a beautiful blue-violet, shimmering like a purplish starry night sky. Like Meta Knight, he was very self-conscious about his appearance. Too many times in his childhood, the other puffs commented on how beautiful a boy he was. The angel wings made him stand out enough, but everyone always seemed so mesmerized over his eyes. He typically wasn't taken seriously when people saw his face.

He put on all of his armor, including his mask, and waited in the guest room for Meta Knight to call for him. Meta Knight told him that he had to warn his men that he was there so that they wouldn't be alarmed. He hoped that the blueberry warrior wouldn't delay and that they could start this adventure soon...

Meta Knight had all of his crew with him. He explained to them that a surprise guest showed up to his doorstep late last night and that he had something to discuss with all of them. He came to the guest room door and knocked upon it. "You may come out now and join the rest of us," he called in his deep, slightly Spanish accented voice. The other warrior slowly made his way out the door as all of Meta Knight's men gaped in shock, Captain Vul's jaw nearly touching the ground.

"He's the one who showed up last night?! Our ship, our land could've been in danger!" Blade Knight exclaimed in his very thick Scottish accent.

"He was probably the one the newspaper was talking about!" Sailor Dee squealed.

Meta Knight held his hands out, trying to get the men under control. "Gentlemen, I believe that we should give Galacta Knight a chance to explain himself. Why don't we go to the mess hall and straighten all of this out?"

Everyone agreed and followed Meta Knight to the mess hall. As everyone seated themselves at the long table in the center, Meta Knight beckoned for Galacta Knight to explain himself. As all eyes were on the temporal warrior, he sighed and cleared his throat to speak.

"You see, I was finally able to break free from my crystal prison early yesterday morning. I got in a few scuffles after escaping as I made my way to Popstar, to Dreamland. Unfortunately, I still had built up rage and took it out on the forest here in Dreamland. By nightfall, I was so worn down, so exhausted. I searched everywhere until I finally found this ship. I used my lance to unleash a monstrous Mach Tornado to get someone's attention and collapsed afterwards. I must've destroyed something, as I heard something explode. That's when Meta Knight found me outside..."

"So you did cause a ruckus in the forest!" Sailor Dee said in anger, but Meta Knight held out his hand to silence him as he responded,

"Why don't you tell them what you came here for?"

All of Meta Knight's men stared intently at Galacta Knight, waiting for him to speak. He replied, "Well, you see, I wanted Meta Knight and I...to go on a trip together..."

The others looked confused, and Captain Vul inquired, "Why do you want Meta Knight to travel with you? I thought you hated him."

"Trust me," Galacta Knight narrowed his eyes at the old bird, "I don't like the guy, but he is the only one who would fit with this mission I have. Besides, my friend Morpho Knight told me that this would be good for Meta Knight as well..."

"Morpho Knight? The butterfly? Didn't he possess you?" Sword Knight questioned, confused.

Galacta Knight sighed and replied, "It's a long story. But I really want Meta Knight and I to take this trip. We both need this. I won't do any harm, unless it's necessary."

"Sir Meta Knight, how do you feel about this?" Trident Knight asked his master.

Meta Knight gazed at all of his men, then looked back at Galacta Knight, then back at his men as he replied, "...I actually accepted his proposal."

All of his men stared in shock at his master. "WHY?! Why would you do that?!" most of them exclaimed.

Meta Knight glanced at Galacta Knight as he responded, "I agree with him, we both need this. I would rather not go into details. He knows that I can defeat him in battle, so if he becomes a problem, I will take care of it."

Mace Knight really studied his master. "Are you sure you want to do this, sir?" he replied with a saddened tone. All of the men glanced down with sadness, fearing what could happen to the knight they so admired.

Meta Knight tried to lighten up his men. "Yes, I am sure. Do not worry about me. Everything will be fine. This is just a trip of two knights trying to discover the meaning of life..." his men stared at him curiously, "Please, I will be okay. I just need your acceptance, your agreement to this mission, and I need you to watch over Dreamland while I'm gone."

Captain Vul felt a few tears caress his cheek as he turned away from everyone and replied to Meta Knight, "If this is what you want sir, then I fully support you..." The rest of the men nodded in agreement.

Everyone was quiet for a while, then Ax Knight piped up, "We can help you and Sir Galacta Knight here prepare for the trip and send you guys off." Meta Knight and Galacta Knight stared at each other, then both nodded in agreement. So, with that, everyone went off to help the two knights get ready for their trip.

As the Halberd crew helped the two puffball knights pack things for the great adventure that lied ahead, Sailor Dee gazed into his master's eyes with tears spilling from his. "I'm gonna miss you sir..." The little Waddle Dee hugged his master tightly, causing Meta Knight to blush a little.

"I will be fine. I don't think Galacta Knight will be any harm; he practically begged me to go with him." He patted Sailor Dee on the head, to which Sailor Dee responded by letting go of his master, seeming content from Meta Knight's rare display of affection.

The Waddle Dee then excitedly whispered, "I have a special surprise for you! It's in the cooler behind me." He dragged the large cooler and placed it in front of his master, afterwards opening it. Inside were various types of parfaits, many like the type Meta Knight so loved late at night. Meta Knight got really hot as he stared at Sailor Dee with alarm in his eyes.

"So you knew..."

Sailor Dee whispered, "Yes, I knew your little late night secret, but I haven't told anyone. I caught you one day when I heard something in the kitchen, but I didn't want to alarm you. You seemed so happy, so carefree...I didn't want to ruin it..." Sailor Dee then gazed at Meta Knight as if he was staring into his soul. "Sir, you wear the mask because you look like Kirby, don't you?"

Meta Knight, feeling anxiety over Sailor Dee knowing arguably his biggest secret, backed up slightly as he nervously replied, "What do you mean?"

Sailor Dee responded, "You know what I mean. Sir, what you look like has nothing to do with what kind of person you are...I think you look fine without the mask. Sir, I wish that I could see that happy smile and carefree attitude I caught you with that night more often. Maybe that knight you're going with will have a change of heart as well..."

Meta Knight just gazed at Sailor Dee with sadness and an ache in his heart as he responded, "...I hope this trip changes the both of us...for the better..." He then patted Sailor Dee on the head again as he whispered softly to arguably his most loyal crew member, "I thank you Sailor Dee...for everything...just please don't tell the others what you know about me..."

"I won't, sir." The Waddle Dee started feeling tears pour down his cheeks again and he hugged Meta Knight again, this time he noticed Meta Knight...hugged him back?! It was a slow, awkward hug, but a hug nonetheless. Meta Knight never hugged anyone, and Sailor Dee could feel his heart flutter with joy at his master's embrace. After a few moments, they pulled apart.

Everything was finally readied for the knights' trip. Meta Knight's crew even readied a small ship for them. As the two knights stood near the ship, prepared for their leave, Sword and Blade both exclaimed, "Please be careful, sir! We'll take care of things around here..."

They both ran and embraced their master, the rest of the Meta-Knights and Sailor Dee joining in, saying, "We'll miss you..."

Finally, Captain Vul could feel himself trembling and worked the courage to embrace the man he so respected, bursting with tears as he spoke, "Sir Meta Knight, you are the bravest, most noble man I know. I hope that you find whatever meaning you are looking for on this trip; I hope Sir Galacta Knight does as well. Please come back safely, you will always be the coolest man we know..."

Every one of Meta Knight's men surrounded him in a group hug, trembling and sobbing over their master's departure. Meta Knight could feel a prick in his heart as he realized how much he meant to his men. He felt so loved...cherished...it made him feel...good...special. He felt wetness pool under his eyes and his body begin to tremble. He willed himself not to cry in front of his men; he had to be strong for them. Still, a few tears managed to escape his eyes, and he hoped that no one saw. He was truly going to miss his crew.

Meanwhile, Galacta Knight watched everyone else participate in the group hug while he stood there...alone. His wings drooped near him as he felt so...empty. He craved affection, he craved...love. The only people who cared about him were Magolor and Morpho Knight. One of those was friendly to him, but a little too scared of him to hug him. The other couldn't hug him in his butterfly form and only took on his other form when he absorbed Galacta's powers. Everyone seemed to always be so fearful, so scared of Galacta Knight. He yearned so bad for someone to love him, to hug him. He wished he had what Meta Knight had...

As the group hug split up, Mace Knight wiped away a tear as he asked his master, "Do you know how long you will be gone, sir?"

Meta Knight looked over in Galacta Knight's direction then back at his men as he replied, "To be honest...I have no idea." He saluted his crew and walked over to his enemy, asking him, "So, are you ready for this adventure?"

Galacta Knight simply nodded and replied, "Yes, I believe I am." They both looked back at Meta Knight's crew and back at each other, then made their way into the ship, Meta Knight taking the driver's seat. Both knights waved goodbye to the Halberd crew as they drove off, starting a long journey that would change the knights forever...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the knights' trip begins! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 3! Chapter 4 should be where things really start getting interesting. Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

Meta Knight and Galacta Knight were finally on their adventure to discover meaning in their lives. As they traversed through space, peering at the many planets they were familiar with: Mekkai, Half-moon, Aquarius, and so on, the knights remained silent, not speaking a single word to each other, almost as if they felt uneasy with one another. Meta Knight could feel the tension and exhaustion overcome him as he drove throughout Gamble Galaxy. They have been on this trip a few days now, neither knight ever talking to one another, and outside of periodic rests, Meta Knight has continuously driven, nearly feeling delirious from the lack of sleep.

Galacta Knight just gazed out into outer space, nervously fiddling with his hands as he glanced over to Meta Knight. Meta Knight glanced back. The tension was real in the ship, neither knight knowing how to interact with his mortal enemy when it was just those two, alone. Finally, Galacta Knight allowed his voice to creak out a response, "You know, living in silence together and just driving by planets was not exactly what I had in mind for this mission."

Meta Knight, with a frustrated tone, snapped back, "You haven't exactly told me where we needed to go or offered to drive. This trip was your idea."

The white knight, jilted at Meta Knight's tone, just looked down as he responded, "I know..." then he looked back up at Meta Knight as an idea hit him, "Tell you what, I will take over driving duties while you relax, take a shower, eat, whatever you need to do. I believe that I know where we'll stop first."

Meta Knight seemed apprehensive over letting his destructive, unpredictable rival do the driving, but he ached from standing up for so long and needed rest, so he complied to Galacta's request. "Fine, just be careful. Don't send us somewhere that is particularly dangerous."

"Trust me, Meta Knight, this place should be one of the most peaceful places around."

"Yeah, that's what they say about Dreamland..."

With that, Galacta Knight took control of the ship while Meta Knight went to one of the small bedrooms of the ship. He took off his mask and shoulder armor and crashed into the bed, the normally insomniac puff dozing right off, sleeping for nearly twelve hours straight. He actually had a really good dream this time, one involving him being all alone in a land made up of nothing but rich, cream-laced cakes, melty neopolitan ice cream hills, pools of hot fudge and caramel, and other delightful sweets. He indulged to his heart's content, feeling so free and joyful, giggling with glee like a small vibrant child. That was honestly one of the best sleeps he has had in a LONG time...

Galacta Knight put the ship on autopilot for a while as he went to the kitchen and cooked a very scrumptious meal of baked spaghetti and meat sauce with herbed garlic bread, with dark chocolate frosted cake for dessert. He made everything from scratch, so it took a while. When everything was ready, he placed Meta Knight's meal on his nightstand, while he ate his in the driver's seat. 'I hope Meta Knight enjoys our first stop. I think it will be the perfect place to begin our journey,' Galacta Knight mused to himself as he swirled another bite of spaghetti on his fork and ate it, twitching his feathery wings with contentment.

Meta Knight stirred out of his sleep, drool dripping off his face as he tried to focus his glazed over eyes. He gazed upon the spaghetti and chocolate cake Galacta made him, grabbed the tray holding the food, and proceeded to consume the meal, savoring each bite as he wondered to himself how his enemy learned to cook so well and why he didn't become a chef or baker instead of a knight. Meta Knight was a tiny bit jealous; a cooking battle is one battle he would never defeat Galacta in, as he was so bad at cooking, he was capable of burning water.

After he finished his meal, he took a shower, put his armor and mask on, and walked towards the pilot area of the ship. He noticed his enemy humming a tune as he seemed zeroed in on his driving. "So, have you found where we're going first?" he asked, snapping the other knight out of his focus.

"Well, you've been out of it for a while..." Galacta Knight replied with a little smile under his mask. "Did you eat the meal I fixed you?"

"Yes, I did." Meta Knight shiftily glanced around him as he brought them back to focus, "When are we going to arrive at this place that you were talking about?"

Galacta Knight just grinned larger as he responded, "We are actually right in the corridor of said planet. We should be arriving very soon."

"Ah, that's good." Meta Knight stared into space as Galacta Knight drove, an hour passing before they finally made it to a planet with an amethyst colored atmosphere swirled with turquoise clouds. They entered into the atmosphere and landed perhaps a bit too hard on the planet's surface, luckily the ground had a spongy-like texture that cushioned the landing.

"I believe that I will do the landings next time," Meta Knight glared in Galacta Knight's direction as Galacta just glanced down. When they got out of the ship, Meta Knight sighed and looked all around him. This particular planet seemed relatively bare, except that a few ashy gray barked trees with bubble gum colored leaves dotted the slightly wavy landscape. Far in the distance were some shimmery sapphire colored hills that matched the color of the squishy ground. "Where are we?" Meta Knight asked in confusion, not recognizing this particular planet.

"To be honest, I don't remember the name of this planet, but I know that this planet is nearly completely lifeless, considering that I slaughtered..." Galacta could feel a ping of regret over the destruction he caused the planet so long ago. He hung his head as a tear trickled down his mask, something that Meta Knight picked up on.

"Wait, you killed the inhabitants of this land?!" Meta Knight grabbed Galacta Knight's shoulder with urgency. "Why of all planets would you send us here first?!"

Galacta wiped the tear from his mask as he replied, "Because I knew no one lived here anymore, and I knew that it was best that we start our journey on a relatively isolated planet."

Meta Knight pondered over this. "I suppose you're right, but what exactly are we going to do on this planet?"

Galacta Knight pointed to the hills in the distance. "I figured those hills would be a good place to go, as they are the tallest things on this planet and overlook everything else. Plus, I think they have the springiness of the ground here."

"Fine, I will let you take charge. First though, I must grab some things out of the ship to take with us. Hold on for one moment." With that, Meta Knight went inside the ship and grabbed a backpack, placing a few necessary things in it: a blanket for each of them, two canteens of water, and something else he found necessary...

He met Galacta Knight outside again and they took off, Galacta taking the lead. Both knights flew part of the way to the hills, then about three-quarters of the way, they decided to walk the rest of the way, Galacta in particular not used to walking such long distances. They made it to the base of the hills and Meta Knight placed his hand upon one of the hills' surface, noticing the memory foam like nature of his hand imprint springing back up. He was intrigued, to say the least. The knights both commenced to climbing the tallest of the hills, their round bodies making it a challenge to progress. The backpack made it easier for Meta Knight to carry the items he brought, but it weighed him down.

It took a couple of hours before the puffs finally made it to the hill's peak, both knights flat out exhausted. They took a wide lookout over the vast expanse. The planet really was largely desolate, only sporting those unique trees here and there. Meta Knight was speechless. He glanced over to Galacta, whose heart ached over all the misery he has caused this land. Sensing his heaviness, Meta Knight reached into the backpack for the small cooler it contained and pulled out something he figured would cheer the temporal warrior up.

"Here," Meta Knight placed the item in his enemy's hand, "You must be hungry after our long travel..." Galacta Knight glanced at the treat Meta Knight gave him, which was a strawberry cheesecake parfait. Meta Knight noticed that the other knight perked up a bit and twitched his wings with happiness.

"But, I thought that these parfaits were yours..." he asked in confusion.

"Don't worry, Sailor Dee has provided me with plenty of them to last a long while. I don't mind sharing some with you..." Meta Knight responded back as he pulled out one of his signature parfaits and two spoons, giving Galacta one of them, "We needed something to snack on, so I brought these along with us."

Galacta Knight just smiled as he replied, "Thanks, Meta Knight...for everything. I appreciate you going on this trip with me..."

Meta Knight just shrugged as he responded between bites of his treat (mask on, of course), "It's no problem. This trip is good for both of us..."

The white knight just smiled bigger as he took a bite of his parfait (mask on, also), enjoying its pleasant richness. He was glad that Meta Knight was letting his guard down, if only but a little. He hoped that the two of them would get along better and maybe, just maybe, would become friends by the end of this trip.


End file.
